1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a video game machine, and more particularly to a video game machine which is installed in an amusement center or home, and which is capable of rendering more realistic images.
2. Description of the Related Art
In line with advances in computer technology, video game machines, which make use of computer graphics technology, have come into widespread use. This type of video game machine has met with wide user acceptance. Also, a multitude of different types of game machines have been contrived in large numbers, and a variety of game software corresponding thereto has been supplied.
To make video games even more enjoyable for the user, it is desirable that images be displayed on a screen with more realistic rendering. For example, in a vehicular race, such as a car race, it is desirable that the movements of the vehicle and background scenery be rendered naturally, and that events that could occur during driving, such as the way a car is damaged in a crash, for example, be rendered realistically.
In the past, there was a polygon of a state, in which a car is damaged by such a crash, and rendering was performed by means thereof. Since damaged states are diverse, it was necessary to store huge numbers of polygons for the rendering thereof. In actuality, this was impossible. Further, when a paucity of polygons are stored, the energy of the car does not coincide with the degree of damage, making it impossible to handle diversified renderings.
Further, similar such things occurred when a vehicle was traveling. For example, there were also irregularities, where by the movement of the background in accordance with the speed of vehicular travel was not rendered, and the movement of a car during actual travel was not rendered naturally.
Conversely, with a three-dimensional (3D) video display, because coordinate conversions and other complex operations are repeated, the amount of CPU operations becomes enormous. Consequently, when image rendering special effects are performed, the processing time applied to other processes must be reduced by the amount of operations used therefor.
Accordingly, an first object of the present invention is to provide a game machine which speeds up processing time when diversifying a screen rendering by reducing data transmission time.
Accordingly, another object of the present invention is to provide a game machine which is capable of diversifying a screen rendering by reflecting the state in which a movable object is actually traveling in a background screen.
Further, a further object of the present invention is to provide a game machine which is capable of diversifying a screen rendering so that when a car crashes, the energy of the crash, and results that coincide with the direction of the crash, can be rendered in a screen.
To achieve the above-described objects, an image processing system related to the present invention is an image processing system, which displays in a screen a state, in which a movable object moves, this image processing system being characterized in that it comprises a first storage means, which divides a storage area for providing to a display means a screen of a state, in which a movable object moves, into a common display area and a movement display area; a second storage means, which stores data for rendering a screen of a state, in which a movable object moves by dividing that data in accordance with the divided state of the above-mentioned storage means, and which stores information that indicates the relation between this divided storage data; and means for transferring to a movement display area of the first storage means the data that is divided and stored in the above-mentioned second storage means on the basis of the relation between the above-mentioned divided storage data when a movable object moves.
In another mode of the present invention, the above-mentioned first storage means is a texture memory, and the texture memory is characterized in that it is used by dividing it into a common area, which stores non-rewritable texture data when displaying a state, in which a movable object moves, and an even block area and an odd block area, which are capable of storing two blocks of texture, which accompany the movement of a movable object, such as background scenery, when it is divided into an even block and an odd block, respectively.
In yet another mode of the present invention, the above-mentioned second storage means is a read-only memory device, and the above-mentioned read-only memory device is characterized in that it stores common texture and each block of texture in individual blocks in a state, which accords with the divided state of texture memory.
Furthermore, the invention that is related to another mode is characterized in that one block of the above-mentioned second storage means stores a plurality of sheets of texture, and the above-mentioned transfer means transfers one sheet of texture per frame of the plurality of sheets of texture stored in this one block.
Furthermore, the present invention is an image processing system, which displays in a screen a state, in which a movable object moves, this image processing system being characterized in that it comprises means for providing a plurality of textures; for providing to at least one first texture thereof a background image, in which a movable object is either stationary or in a low-speed state; for providing to at least one of the remaining second textures a background image, in which a movable object is in a traveling state of low speed or faster; and for mapping to the screen in accordance with the state of the movable object the second texture in addition to the first texture.
The present invention related to yet another mode is characterized in that the above-mentioned first texture is a picture, which can display a screen of a road surface when a movable object is in a state of being practically stopped, and a second texture is a picture, which can display a screen of a moving road surface when a movable object is in a traveling state.
Furthermore, the above-mentioned second texture is characterized in that it is a picture, which can display a plurality of screens in accordance with the speed of the traveling state of the movable object.
And furthermore, the present invention is an image processing system, which displays in a screen a state, in which a movable object moves, this image processing system being characterized in that it comprises processing means for enabling the detection of the direction of movement and amount of movement of a movable object, when the movable object crashes, and enables the reflection of the detected amounts thereof in the amount of deformation of the movable object.
Another mode of the present invention is characterized in that it divides the above-mentioned movable object into blocks, and provides from the detected values a block targeted for the above-mentioned image processing. Furthermore, another mode is characterized in that it is designed so as to map a pre-deformation texture and a post-deformation texture for the above-mentioned movable object, and change the blend ratio of both above-mentioned textures in accordance with the quantities detected when the above-mentioned crash occurred. Furthermore, the above-mentioned blend ratio changes the transparency parameter of the above-mentioned texture.